Amity man admits endangering teen

An Amity Township man who worked as a detention counselor at the Montgomery County Youth Center faces court supervision after admitting to endangering a 16-year-old boy during a confrontation in which prosecutors alleged the boy was injured.

Brian Michael Rzepka, 36, of the 300 block of Russell Avenue, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court on Thursday to four years of probation after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the September 2014 incident at the youth center located along Port Indian Road in West Norriton. Essentially, Rzepka admitted to violating a duty of care or protection while supervising the boy.

President Judge William J. Furber Jr. also ordered Rzepka to complete 800 hours of community service as a condition of the sentence, the majority of it to be served at the county jail.

“He pled guilty to basically taking this kid and, I don’t know of another way to put it other than manhandling him and throwing him around the room,” said Assistant District Attorney James Price.

Officials made it clear that Rzepka, who had advanced degrees in criminal justice, already faced other consequences, including being fired from his job and losing the ability to work in his chosen field as a result of the conviction.

“The man had over a decade of service to the youth center and clearly made a terrible, terrible decision and violated the public’s trust,” said Price, who argued for some jail time against Rzepka. “Clearly, this was a huge lapse in judgment and he suffered the consequences for it.”

Testimony revealed Rzepka was under stress from personal issues at the time of the incident.

“At the end of the day, it’s clear he took his frustrations out on the kid,” Price alleged. “Hewas there to deescalate the situation, that’s what they’re supposed to do at the youth center, kids are there because they have issues, and instead of de-escalating the situation he clearly escalated it.”

Court papers did not reveal what sparked the con- frontation.

Rzepka, who was supported in court by relatives, apologized for his conduct and expressed remorse during the hearing.

The victim and his parents were in court for the hearing. Testimony revealed the boy suffered headaches after the incident and court documents indicate the teenager suffered “a possible concussion.”

Other charges of simple assault and harassment were dismissed against Rzepka, who was represented by defense lawyer Thomas Oshinsky.

The investigation began after the 16-year-old male resident at the youth detention facility reported he was injured by Rzepka during a confrontation inside his room about 7:30 a.m. Sept. 19, 2014.

“Victim stated that he was pushed into a wall by a staff member, later identified as Brian Rzepka, and that he hit his head above his left eye. The victim also stated that the staff member tossed himaround, tossing him against the wall, against the window, and on his bed,” county Detective Dirk Boughter alleged in the criminal complaint.

Detectives obtained video surveillance footage that was available from inside the victim’s room, according to court papers. The videotape depicted Rzepka, while holding the victim’s shirt in the upperback, push him toward the window/counter area, according to the criminal complaint.

“It appears that victim’s forehead area comes very close to the window, and may have struck it at that time,” Boughter alleged.

The video footage also depicted Rzepka suddenly grabbing the victim from his seated position, “picking him up and violently throwing/shoving him onto the counter, toward the right side of the room, at the base of the window,” according

“The victim also stated that the staff member tossed him around, tossing him against the wall.” — Montgomery County Detective Dirk Boughter in arrest affidavit “The man had over a decade of service to the youth center and clearly made a terrible, terrible decision and violated the public’s trust. Clearly, this was a huge lapse in judgment and he suffered the consequences for it.” — Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney James Price

to the arrest affidavit.

Rzepka also “violently” moved the boy onto the boy’s bed where Rzepka put his own bodyweight on top of the victim, according to the arrest affidavit.

“During the violent throwing action by Rzepka, victim’s feet never touch the ground. Rzepka finally relieves the pressure of his own bodyweight off of victim after approximately 30 seconds,” Boughter alleged.

The teenager was treated by a nurse at the youth center for an abrasion and then went to a Norristown area hospital where abrasions were noted on his arms, back and forehead “and he was diagnosed with a possible concussion,” according to the criminal complaint. Prosecutors presented photographs of the youth’s injuries in court.

When authorities inter- viewed Rzepka he stated that as a secure detention counselor “he was responsible for taking care of the residents’ mental and physical needs and to make sure they are safe at all times,” according to court papers.

Rzepka claimed to detectives and to his superiors that the victim attempted to stand up and began clenching his fists during the argument and he also stated that he merely placed the victim “in an upper-torso standing restraint and then a side-assist restraint,” according to the arrest affidavit.

A training coordinator for youth center employees told detectives that Rzepka’s actions as depicted in the video “fall outside of the training provided by certified instructors at the youth center,” court papers alleged.